UCLA hires Alford away from New Mexico

UCLA hires Alford: Steve Alford succeeds UCLA basketball coach Ben Howland, who was fired last weekend after 10 years. Alford had just inked a 10-year deal with New Mexico, when UCLA snagged him.

(AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

Former New Mexico head coach Steve Alford reacts to a referee's call during a game against Harvard in the NCAA college basketball tournament in Salt Lake City earlier this month. Alford was hired Saturday to coach UCLA.

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March 30, 2013

By Beth HarrisAssociated Press

Los Angeles

UCLA hired Steve Alford as basketball coach on Saturday, luring him from New Mexico days after he signed a new 10-year deal with the Lobos.

Athletic director Dan Guerrero said Alford is "the perfect fit for UCLA" because he connects with a new generation of players and brings an up-tempo and team-oriented style of play to Westwood.

The 48-year-old coach succeeds Ben Howland, who was fired last weekend after 10 years and a 233-107 record that included three consecutive Final Four appearances and four Pac-12 titles. The Bruins were 25-10 this season, which ended with a 20-point loss to Minnesota in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Alford led New Mexico to a 29-6 record this season that included the Mountain West regular-season and tournament titles. But the Lobos were upset by Harvard in the second round of the NCAAs shortly after Alford's new deal with the school had been announced.

Alford is a legend in the Hoosier state, where he starred at Indiana University from 1984-87 under coach Bob Knight. The Hoosiers won the national championship in his senior year. He also played on the gold medal-winning 1984 U.S. Olympic basketball team in Los Angeles as a college sophomore. Knight coached that team.